FACE THE MUSIC: Restaurateur Mitch Tonks

FACE THE MUSIC : restaurateur mitch tonks

Born in Weston Super Mare, after leaving school the young Mitch Tonks tried his hand at a variety of jobs as diverse as bricklaying and accountancy, however, the lure of the sea and all things fishy were overwhelming. So it came as no great surprise, that in 1996 the self taught chef and fishmonger opened Fishworks in Green Street Bath, to much acclaim. Over the next few years a chain of thirteen restaurants were to follow earning him many awards including the prestigious best loved seafood restaurant. The company was floated during 2005, and as Mitch freely admits “In many respects it all became too big, I was dealing with investors, share prices etc. and running around like a man possessed trying to juggle all these balls in the air and I was not enjoying what really brought me into the business in the first place, a passion for cooking”. These days life is slightly easier for him, as he is no longer involved with the company. He now owns the Seahorse restaurant in Dartmouth and is shortly due to open another in the town. Still dressed in whites and hot from the kitchen he sits in the corner of his Bristol restaurant the RockFish Grill.

Mitch feels the West Country is lucky in many respects, “they have some of the best chefs and restaurants in England, I know because I’ve eaten in them”. Along with his T.V. work, he has four cookbooks under his belt and is also a keen supporter of sustainable fishing. On the music front he admits to a diverse taste in music, and I suspect that if he was to publish a new cook book, it would be entitled ‘music to cook by’, as he regularly plugs his I-phone into the kitchen sound system.







The Style Council – Headstart to Happiness

Paul Weller is my favourite musician of all time, I loved The Jam when I was a young punk and the energy of the Style Council was amazing. I recall seeing them at Glastonbury and jumping over the fence, was the only way to get in. I sneaked backstage and sat shaking with excitement, drinking beer with Paul Weller and Elvis Costello on the same table, I must of given the game away, because I was thrown out soon after!

Mark Ely – Baby That’s Life

Mark is a very dear friend and probably the finest songwriter and musician I have ever heard. When he first played me this song, I just couldn’t believe how well it fitted in with my life. It was written 25 years ago and still is a brilliant piece of music. He played it for me when I married my wife Penny.

The Goo Goo Dolls – Iris

The most catchy tune of recent years, I play this loud in The Seahorse kitchen, usually after a coffee and calvados on Sunday mornings before service. I just bounce around the kitchen, high on life. Jake my fellow chef is usually in a heap laughing, maybe it’s my dancing, I am not sure myself, but this song makes me jump for joy.

Joni Mitchell – A Case of You

This is beautiful, I love the sound of Joni Mitchell, she sings about an era that I hadn’t experienced, of freedom, travel and discovery, love and relationships and I admire the honesty of her words.

Brooke Benton – A Rainy Night in Georgia

I’m not the musical person in the family, that title belongs to my son Ben. Like most teenagers, he has his own favourite music, hip hop in the main, I could never relate to it, but every now and then, I would hear him playing a song that didn’t quite sound like his normal style and I realized that he really did have a deep appreciation of all music. He told me he loved this song and guess what I love it too. Ben is now a chef at my RockFish Restaurant.






The Water Boys – Whole of the Moon

Their songs are wonderful, but this one is an anthem. My best friend Adam, taught me much of my musical tastes and said it always reminded him of me. Adam tragically died last year and this song was played at his funeral. A desperately sad day, but the opening notes take m back to some very happy times.

Athlete – Wires

I was a young man of nineteen, peering through a plastic box at very premature first daughter in wonder and fear. The lyrics of this song take me back to that magical event.

Tom Petty – Free Falling

This takes me back to my 30s and going through some rather big changes in my life, I met Pen, my now wonderful wife, who was also going through changes, we love this song and I suppose we both thought we were ‘free falling’ not just through life, but deeply for each other.

Johnny Cash – If you Could Read My Mind

I am a recent Johnny Cash fan, such great lyrics, so very honest and what about that voice! I really understand this song and often reflect on past times when listening to it.

Tom Waites – Little Trip To Heaven

I can imagine a late dinner outdoors somewhere in the West Country, on a warm summer’s evening, the taste of a good after dinner brandy in my mouth, taking the hand of my wife and dancing in the moonlight, getting lost in the moment.... I love music that takes you somewhere and this is a perfect example.